Thursday, 4 August 2016

Sugar & Spite - Punk Exhibition

Blott Studio will be hosting ‘Sugar and Spite’, featuring new works by regional and national artists - a Punk themed exhibition - alongside the celebration of this year’s REBELLION Festival and the 40 year anniversary (Punk 76’).

Beginning Thursday 4th August - 7th August, the studio will be open daily, morning to evening, from 9.30am until 9.30pm. Local Blackpool band, ‘Litterbug’ will kick off Friday 5th’s evening Preview event with a bang, playing live on the terrace, 7pm until 9pm, in a one off event to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Punk Rock. Please feel welcome to join us in celebrating this event.

The anarchic effects Punk had on the rigid cultural structures of the time - for instance when the Sex Pistols got to No1 in 1977 even though banned from TV and radio - helped spread the under-front subculture. Today Punk is celebrated all over the country, including Blott Studios' hometown, Blackpool.

REBELLION Festival in Blackpool - 20th Anniversary

The REBELLION Festival was re-launched back in 2007, taking the established Punk festival with all the most loved bands and combining it with the best of the new breed, including many sub genres and, the ‘alternative’ scene in general. After years of touring the world in places such as the USA, Japan, Australia, Germany and Holland, ‘REBELLION’ was seen as the revival of the Punk festival, from the very first held in Blackpool, 1996 as ‘Holidays in the Sun’. REBELLION is known for having a great, festival atmosphere, so head on down and be part of it!

It has taken two long years to uncover Stewy's identity. The East London based street artist's distinctive, life-size stencil portraits of English eccentric punk poets, artists, and other British icons, are commonplace in London, across the UK and Europe.

Dale Grimshaw

A leading artist in the London Urban Art scene, Grimshaw has exhibited at the Academy of Arts in New York, with solo shows in Paris, Berlin and the USA.

Knox (Ian M. Carnochan)

Founding member and front man of Punk band The Vibrators and a visual artist in his own right, Knox has painted numerous portraits of punk icons, including Joe Strummer and Joey Ramone.

Other contributing artists:

Claire GriffithsLocal photographer, and BA (Hons) Fine Artist, having a keen interest in popular culture and human nature, Griffiths will be exhibiting her small-scale lit bottles, capturing youth culture and the Punk genre - featuring lost vintage Punk concert images and record labels - all in an eye-catching installation.

Tina WarrenAlthough Tina doesn't identify herself as a Punk artist, she does identify with certain elements of the Punk ethos as her work is usually a critical consideration of the human condition. The work she will be featuring at 'Sugar & Spite', focuses on symbolism and expressive gestures often associated with the Punk subculture.

Zoe Cox
Illustration and animation BA (Hons), Cox believes that the ethos and attitude behind Punk have been about in many forms before it's identification as a musical genre in the 1970's. Her work for this exhibition will be portraying the rebellious nature of punk in a painting inspired by the the well-known 'Liberty Leading the People'.

Lauren Green
Sugar & Spite's residency artist, Green currently working on her Fine Art degree, will be featuring a range of Pop Art inspired pieces with a Punk twist. Green, has always found herself drawn to the Pop Art movement - in particular, the Roy Lichtenstein approach of using parody and melodrama, and of course the retro comic book aesthetic - which is shown throughout these pieces along with Green's admittedly snarky sense of humour.

Corrine Streetly (MA)
At the Sugar & Spite exhibition, Corrine will be featuring original works from her Rebellion line, and new Punk ceramics - including an incense burner and light display.

Boz Phillips

Jill Reidy

Laura Green

Caroline J Radley

David Worth

Local band LiTTERBUG

LiTTERBUG will be playing live during the preview event on the 5th August, between 7 and 9pm. Merchandise will be available, including t-shirts.

Litterbug artwork

Litterbug is a project that started in 2002. It morphed from spacey TV commercial breaks, to indie alternative and, returned to its owner’s punk rock origins by 2008. The struggle has continued to date, with approximately 30 songs recorded and available at: www.reverbnation.com/litterbugblackpool .

Litterbug artwork

Sugar & Spite banner displayed at the front of Blott - designed by Josie Howker.

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Originally founded in 2000, the Blott artists’ collective has continued to evolve over the past ten years establishing itself as a unique cultural ‘artist led’ venture. Currently situated at 53, King Street, the ground floor contemporary art gallery provides a town centre platform for local professional artists to exhibit art to the community, in a regularly changing program of events. The gallery showcases members’ work all year round, hosts an annual group exhibition and exhibits the work of visiting guest artists, both national and international. Works displayed range from painting to print and sculpture. Making blott a desirable, must see venue for art lovers and collectors alike